The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Tehran

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is due in Tehran Saturday to discuss the Islamic republic's nuclear issue as well as matters of mutual interest, local media reported.

Assad during the two-day visit is to meet with high-ranking Iranian officials to discuss regional and international issues, state-run television reported.

Iran's ambassador to Syria Ahmad Moussavi said on Friday talks would include Iran's nuclear programme, which Western countries claim hides an ambition to develop atomic weapons but which Tehran says is purely for peaceful purposes.

"During the visit of the Syrian president, who will meet with Supreme Leader (Ayatollah Ali Khamenei) and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the two sides will discusst (Tehran's) nuclear issue," Moussavi was quoted as saying by the Fars news agency.

The visit will be Assad's third to Iran-Syria's staunch regional ally since the election of Ahmadinejad in 2005. His last visit dates back to February 2007.

The alliance between Iran and Syria, stretching back more than three decades, was strengthened in 2006 with the signing of a military cooperation agreement.

The television report said that Iran is currently involved in a range of projects in Syria worth a total of around 1.3 billion dollars.